Tractor propelled agricultural spraying apparatus



S. D 'POOL April 22, 1952 TRACTOR PROPELLED AGRICULTURAL SPRAYING APPARATUS Filed DGO. 6, 1949 3 Sheets-Sheet l INVENTOR T D. POOL @Pl STUAR ATT'Y s. D. Pool. 2,593,696

TRACTOR PROPELLED AGRICULTURAL SPRAYING APPARATUS April 22, 1952 3 Sheets-Sheetl 2 Filed DeC. 6, 1949 INVENTOR STUART D. POOL ATT'Y S. D. POOL April 22, 1952 TRACTOR PROPELLED AGRICULTURAL SPRAYING APPARATUS 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed Dec. 6, 1949 FIGS.

INVENTOR .STUART D. Pool. PM I ATT'Y Patented Apr. 22, 1952 UNITEv STATES PATENT OFFICE TRACTOR PROPELLED AGRICULTURAL SPRAYING APPARATUS Stuart D. Pool, Moline, Ill., assignor to International Harvester Company, a corporation of New Jersey Application December 6, 1949, Serial No. 131,352

1 This invention relates to agricultural implements and particularly to spray equipment. An important object of the invention is to provide novel apparatus for spraying growing crops and other vegetation for the destruction of weeds, insects and the like.

Another object of the invention is to provide tractor propelled spray equipment wherein mini-`- mum weight is carried by the tractor resulting in"` minimum compaction of the soil by the tractor wheels.

Another object of the invention is to provide tractor propelled spray equipment adapted for spraying row crops, wherein the spray liquid is carried in a supply tank in the form of a ground engaging Wheel arranged to travel ybetween rows of plants. Y

A further object of the invention is to provide a novel storage tank for treating fluids in the form of a ground engaging wheel which provides its own agitation for the liquid and renders the use of special agitators unnecessary.

Other objects and advantages of the invention shown in Figure 3; 1

Figure 5 is a side elevation with a part broken away for clarity showing the ground engaging spray Wheel of the present invention;

Figure 6 is a section on the line 3 -5 of Figure 5; and c 'l Figure 7 is an enlarged sectional detail taken on the line -l of Figure 2.

Referring to the drawings, numeral I9 designates the tractor which is utilized to propel the spray equipment of the present, invention and which provides the power for discharging' the spray. Tractor II) is provided with a rear axle II, laterally spaced rear drive wheels I2, and a dirigible front wheel I3.

A drawbar I4 is formed by rearwardly converg ing bars I5, the forward ends of which are detachably secured to the housing for the tractor rear axle, and the rear ends of which are connected by a U-shaped plate ES, Plate I6 carries 7 Claims. (Cl. 299-29) 2 a vertically extending pivot bolt I 1 having secured 4thereto a clevis IB carrying a transverse pivot pin I9. Pin I9 is mounted at the forward end of a yoke formed by arms 20 and 2I braced by a cross-piece 22. The rear ends of the arms 20 and 2I are provided with clamps 23 and 24 in which are carried the ends of a transverse shaft 25 extending through the axisof a wheel comprising a casing 26 and a hub 2'I. The wheel is journaled for rotation upon bearings 28 carried in caps 29 secured to the wheel hubs.

The casing 26 is preferably of rubber or the like and serves as the dispensing receptacle for treating uid to be sprayed. The tire is filledwith fluid from an outside source through a hose line shown at 30. The uid passes thence through a valve 3I to a pump 32 operated by the `power take-01T shaft 33 of the tractor. From the pump 32 uid passes through a valve 34 to hose line 35 extending along arm 2IJof the yoke and rearwardly to connect at 36 with an axial bore 31 provided in shaft 25. Bore 31 communicates with a radially extending tube 38 through which fluid is emptied into the tire.

Tube 39 is concentric with bore-31 and extends from the outside through nut40 axially into the shaft and communicates with a tube 4I which extends radially from shaft 25. Tube 39 and tube Y 4I provide a vent for air in the tire to prevent pressure froml building up within the tire when filling and causing a vacuum when fluid is being removed.

Fluid is withdrawn fromthe tire through a to the shaft at 44 and extends forwardly alongthe arm l2| of the wheell yoke. valves 3| vand 34 are then turned to permit iiuid to pass to pump A32 and from the pump through valve 34 and a hose line 46 to a combination uid shut-oir and regue latorf-valve 41, supported upon a bracket 48 affixed to .the body of the tractor.

Fluid from the regulator through hose lines 49 and 50 to a pair of laterally projecting spray booms 5I at the front of the tractor and mounted upon a support 52 secured to the tractor. Booms 5I are provided with conn ventional spray nozzles such as indicated at 53 in Fig. 1. Excess fluid from thefr'egulator 4'! is returned through a by-pass conduit'f54 and conduit 35 to the wheel tank.

Fluid passing through the booms 5I may be utilized for spraying many types of vegetation including row crops. The wheel tank is particuis transmitted v larly adapted for the latter since it is arranged to travel between rows of plants. Likewise many treating fluids require agitation, and a wheel tank, such as has been devised by applicant, provides automatic agitation by the movement thereof over the ground. A further advantage of applicants wheel tank is t-ha't'it lessenstlre load upon the tractor incurredY by conventional` tractor-mounted metallic containers, and diminishes the compaction of the soil by the wheelsy of the tractor. Compaction of thesoil. is-diminished also because of the fact thatV the weight'o'f. treating Iiuid and container is distributed overy a greater area of ground thanlwith'conventional.v equipment.

The invention has been described in its preferred embodiment. However, it should; be understood that modiiications may be' made therein without departing from the spirit off' l the invention or the scope of the appended claims.

floating movementof the wheel with respect to thevehicle and the spray nozzles forconnecting the wheel thereto, conduits-providing communi-- cation between the interior and exterior of`V the tire casing for discharging. the. 'treating fluid' therefrom, a` connection between sai'dY conduits` and-the nozzles, and pumping means; in' saidcorrnection for withdrawing fluid from said? con'- tainer andl directing it to the nozzles.

2*. In spraying apparatus for the controlv ofweeds, insects and the like, a ground engaging: rotary 'member having a compartment adaptedto serve as a supply tank for spray uid and having a shaft extending axially therethrough,A an-axial borein said shaft communicating w-ith the-Huid compartment for lling the latter with fluidi. another axial bore in the-shaft opening to'. the out'- side, a radial conduit providing communication between the fluid compartment and' said lastmentioned axial bore for evacuating air' trom the luid compartment during illing thereof withy fluid, and another axial bore inthe shaft/"communicating with the iiuid compartment forwithdrawing fluid therefrom.

3. In spraying apparatus for the control; of weeds, insects. and the like, a ground. engaging rotary' member'vv having a compartment. ser-ving as a supply tank'forspray ''uidl and. adapted.to.` befv propelled' over the ground', means providing-i com'.- munication between the exterior` of" the member` and said compartment for' suppl'yingfluid thereto, independent means providing communication between the fluid compartment andthe exterior? ofY said member-'for' withdrawing fluid therefrom'. during rotation thereof, means for' evacu'ating: air from the compartment whenl supplying' fluid: thereto, and spray means for discharging: the treating fluid upon the ground.

4. Inl spraying apparatus,` a 'ground engaging' rotary' wheel having a' hollow fluid-carryingtirel portion, conduit means providing communication 4 with the interiorof the tire portion for supplying fluid thereto, another conduit means providing communication between the interior of the tire portion and the exterior of the wheel for withdrawing fluid therefrom during rotation thereof, and other conduit means providing free passage of air" between th'eexteriorl and the inteniorofthe-tire portionduring filling and wit. drawal of fluid therefrom.

5. In spraying apparatus, a ground engaging rotary, wheelhaving. a hollow fluid-carrying tire portion. and' a shaft extending axially therethrough, an axial bore in said shaft communicatingf with: the. fluid: compartment for admitting fluidltoll".thelrcompartment, another axial bore in the shaft.V independent of said iirst mentioned boreandcommunicating with the uid compartment for withdrawing fluid therefrom, and a conduitf concentric with one of said axial bores providing communication between the interior of saidztireportiorrandthe'exterior for free passage ofairfduringlling and withdrawal of fluid from: the tirez 6'.y ZI-her combination with a tractor having i spray.; nozzlesV mountedA thereon, of a wheel in trailing relationto the tractor and connected theretoffor; lateral and-vertical swinging movement relative.A tothe tractor and to the spray nozzles; said wheelt having a hub and a fluidcontaining flexible tire portion, an axial bore formed in one side of said hub communicating with-the interiorv of the wheel for supplying iiuid thereto, anindependent axial bore formed in the otherfsid'eofk the-hub and communicating withv the-interior of` the wheel through which fluid is discharged. anda connection between said lastmentoned bore and the spray nozzles on the tractor for` supplying fluid' thereto. f

'7a-The combination with atractor having spray nozzles/mountedA thereon, of a wheel in trailing relation to,` the tractor and connected thereto` for lateral and vertical swinging movementy relative to the: tractor and to thel spray nozzlesgsaidwheelhaving ahub anda huid-ccntainingflexibletire portion, an axial bore formedin one side of saidhub-communicating with the "interior of the wheel'for' supplying fluid thereto,

an independent axial. bore formed in the other side of therhub andcommunicating with the interior: of: the wheel through. which iiuid is dis- STUART D. POOL.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are'of4 record in the file. of. this. patent.:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 426,664"v Donahoo Apr. 29, 1890 1,095,710 Cranwell May 5, 1914 2.4752683 Anderson July 12, 1949 

